In a November 12 Baltimore Sun photo-article presented a pictorial view of the threat posed by sea level rise to Maryland and northeastern United States coastal areas.
More than 300 counties claim a piece of more than 86,000 miles of tidal coastline in the United States, yet no clear national policy determines which locations receive help to protect their shorelines. That has left communities fighting for attention and resources, lest they be abandoned to the sea, as is playing out in Chincoteague.
“If we can’t make a decision about rising sea level in a parking lot, we’re in trouble as a nation,” said Louis Hinds, former manager of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Tidal waters worldwide have climbed an average of 8 inches over the past century, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment. The two main causes are the volume of water added to oceans from glacial melt and the expansion of that water from rising sea temperatures.
Sea level rise will be among the topics being discussed at MACo’s January 2015 Winter Conference at the session Treacherous Shoals: Navigating the Murky Depths of Water Issues.
Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference:
- Registration Brochure (with session descriptions)
- Online Registration
- Hotel Reservation Link
- Exhibitor Brochure
- Sponsorship Brochure
- Registration Forms: (contact avalliant@mdcounties.org for help with registration)
- County (Maryland county government officials and staff)
- Other Government (Non-county entities: Municipal, State, Federal)
- Commercial (Profit & Non-profit businesses/organizations)
- Press
Questions? Contact Meetings & Events Director Virginia White.
